Hormones Gone Wild - The Cause of Menopause Symptoms
When a woman reaches that age when the symptoms of menopause begin to really become a problem, she must wonder how - and why - this is happening.
The hormones of course are the real culprit, and here is what happens in your body.
There is a hormone called estradiol in women (found in smaller amounts in men also) that is produced in the ovaries, and acts like a magic serum.
It the reason that women develop breasts, start their menstrual cycle, and get pregnant, but also has other secondary roles in promoting health in women.
It also helps to keep your skin supple, your bones strong, and in general keep you vital and healthy.
However as a woman ages, the ovaries produce this hormone in smaller amounts, and that is where things start to go downhill.
When a woman is faced with premature menopause due to injury, surgery, or other misfortune, then this can place an even bigger burden on her body since she may not have reached the peak of her physical health yet depending on her age.
If that happens, the symptoms of menopause can indeed be very cruel and measures must be taken to try to balance the hormone levels.
At this time other hormones are also in decline, most importantly estrogen, which is the main hormone responsible for the timing of a woman's period.
When estrogen is on the decline, a woman will notice this right away as the period will be much more sporadic in timing and heaviness.
Not knowing when her period will strike is certainly nerve-wracking, but the other symptoms can be much worse.
So how does a woman know when she is officially in perimenopause? This is the beginning stages of menopause, but actual menopause isn't reached until a woman goes for 1 year without a period.
This can take several years to take place, and the interim is really perimenopause (or pre-menopause as some call it).
This can be diagnosed by your doctor by taking a blood sample and finding out the hormone levels in a woman's body.
This gradual process can take place in varying time frames depending on a woman's health, genetic factors, and personal habits.
The main thing for women to remember is that this thing called menopause is just a natural process that is a part of the aging process, and nothing can be done to stop it.
Of course there is always hormone replacement therapy, which is an option in extreme cases.
However the dangers of this therapy have been proven with many case studies to this is never a permanent option, only to be used in the short term.
The hormones of course are the real culprit, and here is what happens in your body.
There is a hormone called estradiol in women (found in smaller amounts in men also) that is produced in the ovaries, and acts like a magic serum.
It the reason that women develop breasts, start their menstrual cycle, and get pregnant, but also has other secondary roles in promoting health in women.
It also helps to keep your skin supple, your bones strong, and in general keep you vital and healthy.
However as a woman ages, the ovaries produce this hormone in smaller amounts, and that is where things start to go downhill.
When a woman is faced with premature menopause due to injury, surgery, or other misfortune, then this can place an even bigger burden on her body since she may not have reached the peak of her physical health yet depending on her age.
If that happens, the symptoms of menopause can indeed be very cruel and measures must be taken to try to balance the hormone levels.
At this time other hormones are also in decline, most importantly estrogen, which is the main hormone responsible for the timing of a woman's period.
When estrogen is on the decline, a woman will notice this right away as the period will be much more sporadic in timing and heaviness.
Not knowing when her period will strike is certainly nerve-wracking, but the other symptoms can be much worse.
So how does a woman know when she is officially in perimenopause? This is the beginning stages of menopause, but actual menopause isn't reached until a woman goes for 1 year without a period.
This can take several years to take place, and the interim is really perimenopause (or pre-menopause as some call it).
This can be diagnosed by your doctor by taking a blood sample and finding out the hormone levels in a woman's body.
This gradual process can take place in varying time frames depending on a woman's health, genetic factors, and personal habits.
The main thing for women to remember is that this thing called menopause is just a natural process that is a part of the aging process, and nothing can be done to stop it.
Of course there is always hormone replacement therapy, which is an option in extreme cases.
However the dangers of this therapy have been proven with many case studies to this is never a permanent option, only to be used in the short term.